Forced Marriage
by Sleeping-force's-inside
Summary: REWRITE/REPOST. Baltor wishes to make a deal for peace... Double-Ending 'Bad'-ending & 'Good'-ending Online! R & E & R
1. Letter

Yesterday I got a letter. It was from Baltor, he wanted to make a deal. He stops fighting us, when we give him something. A wive… In exchange Baltor wants a wive… And a life. A life on a planet where he hasn't been yet.

I don't know what to do. Peace or war… A choice that isn't made after long thinking. Peace… But that would mean a woman has to be forced to marry him. No one would marry him out of free will. No one…

War… Would mean hundreds of wounded ones… hundreds of hurt ones. And if he wins? Then he will get the woman no matter what and it will be even worse.

Today I send a letter to the Winx… They have to forgive me for getting them out of their vacation, but I don't have another choice. I send Saladin and Griffin one too. I can't make this decision alone. The first time in my live, but I truly can't make this decision alone.

What do I have to do? Give in and sacrifice one or reject and sacrifice many. Again a choice that isn't hard to make…

And still it is so hard to make…

Peace or War…

One or Many…

What is the best decision?

Faragonda, Headmistress of Alfea


	2. Chapter 1

**Category:**** Winx Club**

**Rating:**** M **

**Couples:**** Faragonda/Baltor in 'good' ending, hints of Baltor/Griffin in 'bad' ending.**

**Warnings:**** AU, Double Ending, other Warnings given in appropriate ending. **

**Chapter:**** 1**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by Iginio; © Plot and OC by me**

**Author's note:**** A rewrite of my previous Forced Marriage, this one too will have a double ending. The 'good' ending is one chapter in this story and the entirety of Forced Marriage 2 (as well as its sequel), the 'bad' ending will be the other chapter. The labels are chosen by me and you might have a different view, but please ignore that in any reviews you might post. :)**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Do you think he's sincere?" Faragonda asked Griffin.

"I don't see why not." Griffin answered. "But I certainly wonder how he suddenly came to have this desire; a wife…"

"How he came to that doesn't matter." Saladin said. "How we will react is the question."

"Do we have much of a choice?" Faragonda's gaze saddened as she once more read the letter send to her. "One or hundreds…"

"Please, Faragonda, you can't save everyone." Griffin pointed out the obvious.

"But send a woman to certain and – even worse – possibly useless death?" Faragonda looked up, her blue eyes burning. "Can we do that?"

"He gave his word, and we can say much, but not that he does not keep it."

"He gave his word in regards to the planets, not the woman. Can we expect him to keep her sane? Healthy? _Alive_?"

"Your hate of him clouds your judgment."

"As does your former friendship!"

The sound of Saladin's staff being trust against the ground was far louder than it should have been. It did draw both women from their argument though. "Both of you, calm down." He practically ordered them. "We have to focus on this, not who is more biased in regard to Baltor. Griffin, you know him best; what would he do?"

"He would restore everything, as he promised in the letter." Griffin said after a bit of thinking.

"And what if the woman died?" Faragonda asked.

Griffin barely held back a retort about how that wasn't certain and answered. "I can't be certain. It would depend on the woman, manner of dead, etc."

"In other words; whether he would want to cause trouble or not?" Faragonda dryly said.

Reluctantly, Griffin was forced to agree.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Baltor waited and watched as they argued back and forth. He was faintly amused as Griffin and Faragonda seemed unable to agree. Oh, this show alone had made it all worth it.

He had been horrified when after taking over Cloudtower and attacking Alfea his very body had betrayed him. He had never been a man, having been forged with a spark of darkened, tainted Dragonfire; demon would be a more fitting label. And never before had he felt differently from that; he rarely slept, though he well could and food was more of an indulgence than a necessity too. But after that day he had slept, and found himself horrified when he had only dreamt of them!

He had been furious, using far more force suppressing the witches own wills than necessary. He wondered if it had done any damage…

But then he realized the potential; a perfect way to pay them both back. Maybe he shouldn't have given them this warning, but he sincerely enjoyed watching them.

Idly he wondered whether the Trix had noticed that he had abandoned them.

Griffin and Saladin left the office of Faragonda, leaving for their own schools. Fools… You should not leave her like this. You will mourn her loss…

He rose from his seat, gesturing to change the imagery of the scrying-spell. Both Griffin and Saladin had returned to their schools, leaving Faragonda to head for her own private rooms.

She noticed immediately he had entered the room behind her, her hand with energy-ball flying towards him before he had even fully arrived. He caught her wrist, resulting in a brief wrestling match. He grunted when a blast landed particularly painful.

"You really would risk your students like this?" He whispered into her ear when having caught her arms. "Do you think they could withstand us fighting and blowing up the school? Wasn't that why you took to the skies when I first came here?"

He knew he had hit a sensitive spot when she tensed. 'Tsts… so easy to read, Faragonda, as always."

"What do you want?" Her voice was remarkably controlled as she turned towards him. "Why are you here?"

"I assume you received my message?" He asked when she called back her magic.

"Yes." Her voice was sharp and hateful. "Surely you did not invade my school just to ask me that?"

"I was intending to offer my help, yes."

"Help?" She exclaimed, her eyes burning with anger. "Why would I want your help? Leave!"

"No." He caught her arms again. "You are to blame for this, you and Griffin. I will not leave."

"Don't you dare to blame me for your madness!" She fought him then, but concern for her students stilled her magic. Nonetheless he found that he would need force to contain her.

Before she could fully realize it, his magic connected with her neck. She nearly screamed when white-hot flames seemed to travel through her body. She collapsed on the rich carpet.

"I improved my mark. It now is quite a powerful weapon, don't you think?" He towered over her. "And yet, you did not cry out."

"What… do… you… want?" She ground out.

He chuckled. "The message was a courtesy, Faragonda, nothing more. I never intended to give you a say in the matter." He grinned at her expression. "Ah… Faragonda's fury, truly a thing to fear. If you could even stand, that is."

"So you simply intend to take a woman?" The pain made it nearly impossible to concentrate.

"Indeed."

"Then why are you here? Surely you wouldn't want me?"


	3. Bad Ending :

**Category:**** Winx Club**

**Rating:**** M **

**Couples:**** Faragonda/Baltor in 'good' ending, hints of Baltor/Griffin in 'bad' ending.**

**Warnings:**** Character Death, Non-Happy ending. **

**Chapter:**** 'Bad Ending'**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by Iginio; © Plot and OC by me**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Of course not…" Baltor smiled at her. "You are not my taste."

Only the pain kept her from snorting. "So you are only here to tell me that?"

"Heavens, no." He pulled her up. "But is it not said that a dying animal is the most dangerous?" his face was mere inches from hers. "I'm dying in this context and I will ensure my last blow is the most painful one."

"Who do you choose then?" Her body trembled when a new wave of pain passed through it, forcing her to search his support.

"That should not be something to concern yourself with." He pushed her away, causing her to fall on her couch. "You won't be able to tell anyone at any rate."

Her eyes widened when a sword appeared in his hands. It looked exactly like that of Oritel.

"You seek my death." She realized. And he would have it: under his Mark she could hardly move and magic required more concentration than she could muster at the moment.

"Did you expect differently?" He raised it. "Farewell, Faragonda."

She did not say a word when he took aim, she remained silent as the sword approached and only gasped when it ran her through.

On a subconscious level she felt her Bond with Alfea shudder.

"Who…?" She forced herself to ask. His Mark evaporated, but the pain remained.

"Who do you think?" He cupped her face. "It's not as if her parents will miss her." He chuckled. "She took care of that herself."

Faragonda growled. "Stay away from her, Baltor."

"No." He rose. "Enjoy your last minutes."

He turned to leave, seemingly forgetting his own words: 'a dying animal is the most dangerous.'

As Alfea's Bond with Faragonda faltered, its' strength flowing away with her life-blood, another power took its' place. Death crept into her limbs, and for a few moments, it fuelled her.

"You shall not have her." Ancient power flooded the room and Baltor had barely time to turn when her magic impacted with his chest. Only faint hint of surprise was visible on his face.

Her arm fell down. Her consciousness faded as a terrible scream rent the air. The last her eyes saw was an explosion of ink light in her room.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Griffin passed by terrified students on her way to the private quarters of the Headmistress of Alfea. Saladin had fallen behind and she wasn't entirely sure where he was now. Her entire being was focused on the fact that Alfea had lost all restraint and was whipping the air with tentacles made of pink magic.

She reached the unadorned door and threw it open.

"Great Dragon…" On the ground, on his back, lay Baltor, obviously dead. Faragonda was half-upright on her couch, a sword pinning her too it. Griffin shuddered when she recognized it and tore her gaze away from the red on blue fabric. Little tentacles, little siblings to those raging outside, stroked the body as if trying to return life to it.

Griffin stepped over her former ally, sinking to her knees in front of the fairy. She pulled the sword free, catching the body as it fell. She ignored the blood ruining her clothes as she reverently lowered the body on the couch.

"Trust you to go in a way that'll be remembered." She carefully cleaned away some of the blood which had dripped from between pale lips. She lifted the body, stepping to the balcony. The doors flew open at her command, revealing the impact this had had on the school.

The fairies had flocked together just outside Alfea's gates. She sighed, before teleporting there.

Saladin had only eyes for his younger colleague as she appeared next to him.

"What happened?" He asked – no, demanded – when she lowered the body on the soft grass.

"Baltor." Griffin ignored the students around them. "They killed eachother."

Saladin was faced with a terrible déjà-vu as he studied Faragonda's closed eyes. Helixa had been killed with a sword – the wound left no doubt as to how she had died – mere minutes after he had left her. Now the same had happened with Faragonda…


	4. Good Ending

**Category:**** Winx Club**

**Rating:**** M **

**Couples:**** Faragonda/Baltor in 'good' ending, hints of Baltor/Griffin in 'bad' ending.**

**Warnings:**** none**

**Chapter:**** 'Good Ending'**

**Copyright:**** © characters and places by Iginio; © Plot and OC by me**

**Author's Note:**** for the continuation of the Good ending, visit Forced Marriage 2 and Return to Magic.**

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Ah, my dear Faragonda, why would I be here otherwise?" He crouched down, looking her square in the eyes. "I wish to lash out one last time, and I wish it to be the greatest wound of my existence. You were always such a pillar of power…"

"You will regret this." Where she pulled it from he couldn't say, but somehow she managed to gather the power to rise.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." He rose with her, keeping them face to face. "I do intend to find out."

"You are truly mad." He voice was full of contempt as the fire in her veins forced her to back up, searching for support.

"Perhaps, perhaps not." He followed her, his intent clearly written on his face. "Submit, Faragonda. You have never been a match for me."

"You wish." Her words were sharp, but they did not harm him. Both knew that if a confrontation were to happen now, he would win easily.

"Such spirit. You never give up, do you?" His hand gripped her arm. "I am grateful. It will make this night far more enjoyable."

"Bastard." His eyes widened at this. He had never heard such language from her before.

"Tsts…" A dangerous grin came to his face. "Mind your words, Headmistress. _Silence!_"

The spell wove into the room, blocking all sound from outside as well as inside.

Faragonda did not react to it, knowing what was to come. And indeed, just as the blue-grey layer in the room was finished, his magic assaulted her, obeying his unspoken command to take what was hers. A soundless scream on the edge of her consciousness made her waver, Alfea's silent plea unheard because her Headmistress had just lost her magic. It would be impossible for Alfea to contact any one now, being caught in a grey area: her Headmistress lived, and yet did not do so enough to feed the bond between the schools. Unless Griffin or Saladin themselves tried to contact her, Alfea could not call to them for aid. She just hoped he would not realize that.

"Get it over with." Her blue eyes had grown infinitively colder as time progressed, now holding enough cold fury to send lesser evils running on sight alone. He was no such lesser evil.

"But where would be the fun in that?" He pulled her closer. "I at the least want to enjoy this some, since I doubt you'll have a body to have me enjoy."

"You might be surprised." Faragonda had long ago learned to deal with pain, and death was a thing she feared as much as she did herself. "But know this: I will give you no pleasure tonight. Do what you will, but you are hardly a threat to me. In the end, it will be you who loses this battle of wits, demon."


End file.
